AMISOM however confirmed the attack on its troops near Afgoye town, about 30 km south of Mogadishu, but did not mention if there were casualties.

The AU mission that has stepped up its onslaught against the al-Qaida allied militants dismissed claims as false.

“Al-Shabaab targeted our convoy traveling about 9 km from Afgoye on the road to Ceel Jaale in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack,” the mission said in a statement.

It said the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has safely removed and destroyed two IEDs in the past two days.

“AMISOM and Somalia National Army will continue to ensure clearance of the main supply routes for easy access of humanitarian activities,” it said.

The extremist militants had claimed to have killed five Ugandan soldiers in a roadside bomb attack in Afgoye on Friday afternoon.

Aid agencies say the poor state of main supply routes in south-central Somalia had provided conditions for Al-Shabaab to continue laying ambushes and using explosive devices against AMISOM convoys and Somali national security forces.
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